Buddhist Era 2547 Unduwap Second Quarter-Wednesday , December 17,03

Did the Buddha preach against enjoyment of pleasure and comfort

by Ven. Lankapura Sariputta, Vidyaloka Viharaya, Nawanagaraya, Polonnaruwa cannot and does not enjoy the object. It only conveys the details. It is not created to enjoy, it is created to convey the information only. On the other hand mind also cannot directly enjoy any worldly object because it is not a mundane phenomenon. On contact of an object by a sense, (1) First the sensation, (2) the perception, (3) the mandate or not is conveyed. Then the whole lot of things, the object, its sensation, its perception the mandate not are deposited in the Mano Vinnana with that mind which was born and existed in that particular sense. That is the end of that mind. These deposits are for another mind for future use or reference if interested. This is the full operation of one single mind. Mind is not in perpetual existence. It is born with an object that exists for a time and dies. That mind is never reborn again. A new mind is born with the next object and undergo the same procedure. The second mind born on the second object does not and cannot enjoy or entertain any objects of the previous minds. For example, assume the eye took an object outside. After its duty it vanishes. The next mind is born in the tongue to take a taste; the mind born in the tongue is only competent to give information about the taste and not describe the colour and the shape of the object as the eye did. So every mind is a new one. The only relationship is that they are one in a series. In the circumstances neither the senses enjoy the objects, nor the mind enjoys or exists to enjoy objects. Though Putujjanas all that they are enjoying sensual pleasure it is only a myth and there is no one enjoying anything at anytime. Only thing is the mind believes what the senses say. Therefore it is only a belief of enjoyment and not a real enjoyment at all. This explanation is from the corner that no one enjoys. (Non egoism). Then all objects in the outer world are impermanent. They are born, exist for a time and vanish. The minds are also impermanent. They are born with one object exist for a while and die or else they naturally vanish with the extinction of the object. If they are so temporary, that impermanency is another case for discomfort and displeasure. Sometimes the outer world object may not be in abundance. It is not for full satisfaction. That is misery. If the outer world object is in full abundance and much more than for total satisfaction, anything beyond would be for misery. This is the very nature of the object: the senses; the minds and enjoyment. They all stand for displeasure and misery rather than any enjoyment. The ordinary man (Putujjana) is not aware of this absolute truth. (Paramatta Sathya). He thinks he is enjoying life through the 5 senses. It is a thought and a belief only. He is deceived by the perception and interpretation of the sense. As he is not aware of this deception he loves and trust the 5 senses more than anything. He loves them so much he refers to them as "I" (when I say "he" I refer to the mind). On this love, and truth the mind believes all what they say as gospel truth and acts accordingly. On this perpetual deception the mind is in quest for objects always, every movement for the so called mythical enjoyment. This path is called the ordinary man's way of enjoyment. (Sammuthi Magga). Every Putujjana, to whatever strata He belongs, He is in this category. He is deceived always by the sense, sense interpretation and non-egoistic enjoyment. Sammuti Magga The Buddha says these senses do not convey the truth. The data they supply are defective, faulty and incomplete and not true. Therefore any person acting on this defective information will go wrong. He would go astray. Further whatever they do will be defective and faulty. The information collected in the "Mano Vinnana" are rubbish. Anything introduced, planned, constructed or manufactured, will all be rubbish and stand to misery. This is the absolute truth. Therefore the Buddha said in the "Dhamma Chakka Pawattana Sutta" - Kamasukallikanu Yogo Hino, Gammo, Putajjaniko, Anariyo, Anattasahito". That is the absolute truth. Take for instance the man who invented the "Rocket'. He would come to fame; he would earn wealth so on and so forth. They all belong to this world. Now ask the question "What has he done to alleviate his decay? What has he done to eradicate his death and future birth?". All what he did was to beautify, develop and maintain his body of 5 senses. All those efforts have not worked. He had to face the old age, misery of old age and decay. Ultimately he has to leave the beloved myth of 5 sensed body and proceed empty handed to face the misery of next birth and life. This is the absolute gospel truth. Therefore the Buddha said all sensual pleasures will stand ultimately to misery.

Accusation The critics of the Western world and other religions, criticised the Buddha as a religious leader who had preached against the enjoyment of pleasure and comfort. Is it so? In His first sermon "Dhamma Chakkapavattana Sutta", He preached that enjoyment of sensual pleasures is foolish, low-bread, lunatic activity, and it will lead ultimately to misery "Kama Sukhallikanu Yogo, Hino Gammo Potujjaniko, Anariyo, Anatta Sanhito". This is the main section on which most of them level their criticism. Defence In defence, the Buddhist sects, say that the Buddha did not entirely preach a Dhamma against the enjoyment of sensual pleasures. They quote, "Vyaggapajja Sutta" and "Singalowada Sutta" in defence. Opinion None of these sects can uphold their opinion, because in very many places of Dhamma, there are points for and against this accusation. The Buddha or His Paramatta Dhamma cannot be challenged by any person at any point, at any time. It is a lion's roar. When the lion roars in the jungle, no animal makes any challenging sound, but they hide for life. That is the case with the Buddha and His Dhamma. If that is the case why are people challenging in this manner and why defendants could not find a lions roar? Why cannot they prove the Buddha's teachings are unchallengeable? That is because, both these sects are unaware of the Buddha's absolute teaching (Paramatta Dhamma) found in the "Summuti Dhamma Scripts". Analysis The Buddha preached His Dhamma for the ordinary man (Putujjana) for His Bliss of Emancipation. We should therefore analyse the ingredients of the ordinary man. The man is in short, a combination of mind and body. The mind does not belong to any world. It is not a mundane phenomenon. It cannot be seen, touched or felt by any person, and on the other hand it cannot see, hear, smell, taste or touch any of the mundane objects direct. The one and the only desire of the mind is eternal pleasure, comfort and happiness. It takes up a body to achieve this object. The body on the other hand is an embodiment of five senses; the eye, ear, tongue, nose and the body. As long as the mind is born and exist in these senses the senses are active. The moment, the mind leaves the body, the body is dead (all five senses are dead). As the mind is desirous of pleasure it creates these five senses in the body, to acquire pleasure. It creates five seats in these five senses (Prasada Rupas) to sit and acquire the objects (forms) from the outer world for its pleasure and happiness. It created these 5 senses or lenses as it cannot take objects direct from the outer world and as it is not a mundane phenomenon. These five senses are in action when the mind is born and exist in their seats Prasada Rupa. The problem is who takes the form from the outer world and who enjoys it. The form is taken by the sense and it is passed on to the Vinnana with some data. The sense describes the object as much as it can. Thereafter, the object and its detailed information is passed on to the Vinnana and is deposited there. That mind ends up there. There are five stores in the names of the senses in the literal introduction, called Chakku Vinnana, Sotha Vinnana, Ghana Vinnana, Jivha Vinnana and Kaya Vinnana. Actually there are no five separate stores though it is said. All collections from all 5 senses are deposited in one central stores called the "Mano Vinnana". The mind on the other hand cannot enjoy any of the objects, but takes on the information given as correct. When the mind is not born and exist in the five senses it contemplates on the informations in the "Mano Vinnana". This association of the Mano Vinnana by the mind is for thinking contemplation and planning. When the object is in contact with the sense, the sense,

The absolute pleasure and happiness In the alternative the Buddha introduced a new path called "Paramatta Magga" in order to attain the mind's one and the only desire for everlasting pleasure, comfort and happiness. This path is referred to as "Middle path of eight folds" (In practicewise it is 'Sam Buddha Vipassana') (It is not the Vipassana introduced by Ven. Buddhagosha in his "Visuddhi Magga or traditional meditations practised in meditation centres). What we called Eight Fold Path in its verbal introduction, in practice, this path is called "The Samma Sam Buddha Vipassana". This path is the absolute path which leads to the absolute pleasure, comfort and happiness. In this path, the traveller has to achieve 2 things simultaneously. One is the absolute observance of the 31 requirements in the eight folds to become one fold - "Upekkha" (non-attachment) the second is the realisation of the "Unknowns" (Gnanas) on the way. There are 16 Gnanas namely (1) Nine (9) Maha Vipassana Gnanas (Patipada Gnanas), (2) four (4) Deep, Deep Noble Truths (Caturarya Satyas), (3) Nama - Rupa Pariccheda Gnana, (4) Magga Magga Gnana, (5) Khankha Vitharana Gnana to attain the first state of sainthood "Sotapatti". When the recluse or the aspirant in meditation clearly experiences the supreme bliss of emancipation and clearly realise the 16 Gnanas above-mentioned simultaneously, he attains the 1st stage of sainthood (Sotapatti); one who sees the Supreme Bliss of Emancipation. In Viapsssana thereafter the aspirant, attains gradually the final stage of sainthood - Arahantship - by realising Asavakkiya Gnana and many more unknowns. The Buddha rejects the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, confort and happiness, as it is impermanent, miserable and non-egoistic. He despised and rejected the enjoyment through the sense media, instead he employed the mind on the job. He refers to 5 senses as low-grade friends and refers to the mind as the "wise" - a pandit. In Sam Buddha Vipassana, the five senses association and do the exercise by the mind itself. Paramatta Magga Paramatta Magga Middle Path of Eight Folds in practice is the "Samma Sam Buddha Vipassana". The mind cannot take any object from outer world direct. It can see, hear, and feel only within the 6 fathomed body, direct, "Vipassana" is seeing, hearing and feeling the body by the mind direct. There are four ways of doing it called (1) Kayanu Passana, (2) Vedananu Passana, (3) Chittanu Passana and (4) Dhammanu Passana. From the moment mind takes over the job from the 5 senses it goes on to realise the absolute truth (Paramattha Sattya) and proceeds discarding all the objects that comes up on its way. The mind sees all those objects as impermanent, miserable, and none-existence (none-egoism). As the aspirant's mind goes on in these exercise for a reasonable period of time, the mind mindfully rejects and discards (1) our world object - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and contact, (2) inner world objects - association of eye, ear, nose, tongue and body, (3) the association of the Mano Vinnana (the thinking, contemplating and planning) and (4) the whole body of five senses at last. This is emancipation. When the mind discards everything the mind also cannot be born, or exit. In the circumstances any Putajjana will say it comes to nothingness. It is not so. This is the greatest and most wonderful of inventions, a Buddha could realise and a Lord Samma Sam Buddha is the only one who reveals to the world. This absolute truth is that when the mind gives up attachment to everything there does not exist nothingness but, there exist and eternal Supreme Bliss of Emancipation - "The Lord Buddha's" greatest invention". In this context Buddha is the only individual who showed the man to enjoy eternal bliss, comfort, pleasure and happiness, rather than the deceptive, sheer temporary meaningless sensual pleasure. All Putajjanas who are non Buddhists do not know the "Paramatte Magga" or the "Paramatta Dhamma". They are in the sheer deception of sensual pleasure and accuse the Lord Buddha as a religious leader who preached against enjoyment of pleasure, comfort and happiness. It could be excused but they have to be clearly explained to convince them. The Buddhists both laity and clergy, ignorant of the "Paramatta Magga" and "Paramatta Dhamma" make a vein attempt in defence. These Buddhists who try to defend are also travellers of the "Putajjana Magga" or he "Sammuti

Magga". The data they collect for defence are collected through the five senses. Therefore they themselves are not confident of the data they use for defence. None of the Buddhists in the present world are in the Lord Buddha's "Paramatta Magga". They will have to proceed in this "Paramatta Magga" and comprehend the absolute truth (Paramatta Dhamma) of the Lord Buddha. The present day Buddhists know only the "Sammuti Dhamma". "Paramatta Dhamma" is inserted in the Sammuti Dhamma. It has to be comprehended through Panna another high faculty of wisdom, which has to be gradually develop by "Samma Sambuddha Vipassana". Persons who are highly educated in Buddha Dhamma, highly intelligent and between the age group of 30 to 60 years old, could easily come to this marvellous route, if they make a sheer attempt. The Sammuti Dhamma could be challenged, as they are more of a fairy tale style. The Paramatta Dhamma is inserted in this fairy tales. It is not discernible to any Putajjana who is not in the Paramatte Magga. Putajjana has only the Vinnana - the general knowledge collected through the five senses. He cannot see, because Vinnana cannot see Paramatte Dhamma pertaining to this world or beyond mundane. Therefore the Lord Buddha very correctly says "Pannawantassa Maya Dhamma no Duppannassa" i.e. My Dhamma is for the man who has developed Panna (high wisdomic insight) through Vipassana Meditation and not for those exist with Vinnana the knowledge collected through the five senses. The person who gathers knowledge through the five senses is categorised by the Buddha as a lunatic - "Sabbe Putajjana Unmattaka". An ordinary person (Putajjana) however much he is educated, he had gathered that knowledge by hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling or touch. This knowledge is all rubbish. So what he sees in the Tripitaka or hear in orations, he goes on preaching,. What he preaches is not his, but some body else's. What is not comprehended through his mind through panna is opened for challenge. If it is comprehended through Pannana in Himself it is unchallengeable. "Paramatta Magga", the Middle Path of Eight Fold or the "Sam Buddha Vipassana" is an unknown to the ordinary man (Putajjana). So their version of this great leaders Dhamma is all rubbish. The preachers advise the audience, the listeners to proceed on the middle path and attain the supreme bliss. Now ask the question have these preachers, attained the supreme bliss? Do they know the exact fold to start with and proceed into the rest systematically? They have not. They just say something or stress on something they heard or saw in the book "Tripitaka" with some of their foolish opinions. This has been the case since Ven. Buddhaghosa wrote the Tripitaka and his "Visuddhi Magga". Since the 5th century, onwards. No society has produced any saint upto date. We get only preachers. If they cannot attain the sainthood from what they preach, how can the listeners attain Supreme Bliss or sainthood from the rubbish they preach? So challenge is reasonable and natural. So those Buddhist should seriously think that something is wrong either in the "Tripitaka, Visuddhi Magga" or the way they practise or meditate or in their own standing. We get into the Buddhist order (become a monk) in order to attain the Supreme Bliss. Do you think of such a requirement after getting into it? No you think of betterment of your livelihood. Is it not so? We, after a very long research have regained this glorious path through which you can attain sainthood and Supreme Bliss of Emancipation. This statement may be to your great astonishment, but it is true. We show you how to start off with what fold, what fold 2nd, what fold next and so forth until you attain the sainthood. On the other hand we admonish you to realise the "unknowns Gnnanas" as they come on. It should be remembered we do not take you on this path orally, but by practice "Sambuddha Vipassana Meditation". "Come on do it and realise for yourself" "Ehipassaco, Opanaiko, Pacchattan Veditabbo Vinnuhiti", it want take much time - Akaliko, if you are prepared to throw all your greatness, conceitedness into the dustbin and come and sit humbly with us, you are sure to attain the sainthood and bliss of emancipation, which was not there for the last 1,500 years. "Sathan Samagamo Hotu-Yava Nibbana Pattiya". May we all attain Nibbana - Through this association.